Felt-cleaning device for paper-making machines



E. DLBENNETT.

FELT CLEANING DEVICE FORPAPER MAKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 9, 1919- Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

2 SHEETS -SHEET l- I N VEN TOR.

4507M, 4W W A TT ORNEYJ.

E. D. BENNETT. FELT CLEANING DEVICE FUR PAPER MAKING MACHINES.

, APPLICATION FILED JULY 9 1919-- 7 1,406,821. Patented Feb. 14, 1922'.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

machine as has been the common practice,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD D. BENNETT, OF PULASKI, NEW YORK.

T 0 alt'whom itma z concern Be it known that I, ED\VARD D. BENNETT,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Pulaski, in the county of Oswego and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Felt-Cleaning Devices for Paper-Making Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

a This lnvention relates to devices for clean ing the traveling pulp-carrying fabrics of paper making machines, more particularly the felts which are usually in the form of an endless belt or band traveling around guides, and arranged to receive the moist pulp layer from the forming wire. In use, these felts, after a relatively short period, become matted and clogged with the paper pulp, size, dirt, and other foreign substances, and they require to be cleansed frequently. My invention aims to effect this cleansing operation in a convenient and speedy manner, and without stopping the operation of the machine or removing the feltfrom the so that there will be no interference in any way with the operation of the machine in the production of paper.

With this end in View, my invention consists of a felt cleaning device of improved form and construction characterized by a pair of spaced guides for the felt, and a pipe sustained adjacent the space between the guides on the opposite side of the felt and having an open side next to the felt, the said pipe being movable at will towards the guides to carry the felt against the same and cause it to press against the open portion of the pipe, so that by creating a fluid current in the pipe and through the open side thereof, any substances lodged in the felt will be eifectually removed.

The invention consists also in the details of construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

in the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end elvation of my improved device with the cleaning pipe in an inactive position free of the felt.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the pipe adjusted to active position pressed against Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 9, 1919. Serial No. 309,050.

Patented Feb. 14, 1922.

pipe adjusted in operative relation theret to effect the cleansing operation.

Referring to the drawings:

My improved device is designed to co-operate with the endless felt A, preferably at the lower stretch of the same where it is not supporting the pulp layer, and the device comprises as its main features a suitable sustaining frame 1 adapted to be fastened to a suitable support such as the framework of the papermaking machine, and provided at opposite ends wlth uprights or standards 1*, two horizontal members 2 to serve as guides for the felt, which members are mounted side by side, between the standards 1 in spaced relations and below the felt, and a horizontal cleaning pipe 3 sustained by the frame at the side of the feltxopposite the guide members, and movable to and from the guide members respectively to active and inactive positions.

The guide members may be of any suitable form and construction which will guide and support the felt when the cleaning pipe is moved to active position against the felt to cause it to be pressed firmly against the pipe. They may be in the form of fixed rounded blocks or bars, but I prefer, in order to prevent wear on the traveling felt, to employ rolls as the guiding members which as shown in Fig. 1 are mounted at their ends to rotate in bearings 4 sustained by the standards 1*.

The pipe 3 is carried by a support 5 movable in the frame 1 and comprising in the present instant two slides 5 one at each end of the frame, and each slide consisting of an upper cross-plate 6 and arms 7 dependingfrom the ends of the cross-plate, whlch arms are mounted to slide up and down in guideways formed in upward extensions 8 of the frame 1. As a result of this construction, by moving the arms 7 up and down in their guideways in the manner to be presently described, the support for the pipe will be correspondingly moved, so that the pipe may be elevated to an inactive position free of the felt as shown in Fig. 1, or may be lowered to anactive position pressed against the felt as shown in Fig. 2.

The side of the pipe facing the felt is open, being preferably provided with a row of perforations, which when the pipe 18 moved down in contact with the felt, will be covered thereby, so that by creating inthe ipe and perforations, a fluid current, either by suction or pressure, the fluid will be caused to pass through the fabric of the felt and will cleanse and free the same of such foreign matters as may be lodged therein.

To effect this object, the pipe is closed at one end and open at the other, at which point it is flexibly connected to the supply pipe 3, which leads to a source of cleaning fluid supply under pressure, preferably live steam, a valve 3 being applied to the supply pipe so that the pressure fluid may be at mittedto pipe 3, or cut off therefrom as desired.

The pipe 3 may be moved to and from the felt guiding members 2 to cause the felt to be pressed against the erforated portion of the pipe, by any suita b e means, but I prefer to effect this action by means of two pinions 9 fixed to a horizontal rock shaft 10 mounted in hearings on the frame between the standards 1, the said pinions enlgaging rack teeth 11 on the arms 7 of the slides 5. As a result of this construction and arrangement of the parts, by rocking the shaft in one direction, the slides will be lowered in unison and the pipe moved down to active position, and by rocking the shaftin the opposite direction, the slides will be raised in unison and the pipe elevated to inactive position. The shaft is conveniently rocked by means of ahandle 12 fixed to an extension 13 on one end of the. shaft, so that by moving the handle to one side orthe other as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the pipe will be raised or lowered as the case may be. The handle is of such size and weight, and the relation and form of the parts is such, that when the handle is thrown to the right as shown in Fig. 2,

the pipe will be lowered into contact with the felt and will be held against the same by the weight of the handle with suflioient force to permit the cleaning action of the pressure flued to be properly performed, and when the handle is moved to the left as shown in Fig. 1, the pipe will be raised and will be held out of action by the weight of the handle.

The operation of the device is as follows: The felt is passed between the pipe 3 and -guide rolls 2, which action is conveniently effected by lifting the pipe at one end from.

its sg puport. To enable the pipe to be thus hfte it is pivoted at its closed end to the plate 6 of the slide at that end by. means of horizontal trunnions 14- projecting out-' wardly from a collar 14" surrounding and fixed to the pipe,-which trunnions are loosely mounted in bearings in the plate 6, whereby the op-posite end of the ipe may be lifted from its support, the flexi yle connection of the pipe 3 with the pipe 3, permitting this pivotal action to take lace. At its closed end, the pipe is seated in an open socket in the plate 6 at that end, and it is held in the socket by means of a removable stirrup or clam plate 15 whichextends over the pipe an is provided on its ends with hooks 15 adapted engage over lugs 15' on the I plate 6, a removable locking pin being extended through the clamping plate and engaged with the plate 6 to lock the clamp ing plate in position. By removing the pin and drawing the clamping plate endwise to disengage its hooks from the lugs, the end of the pipe will be released so that it can be swung upwardly away from the guide rolls to enable 'the felt to be properly positioned.

\Vith the felt thus positioned between the cleaning pipe and guide rolls, it will be permitted to travel freely in the operation of the paper-making machine when the cleaning pipe is in a raised inactive position as shown in Fig. 1 which is the normal position of the parts of the device. When now it is desired to subject the felt to the cleansing operation. the handle 12 is moved to the right as shown in Fig. 2. This will lower the pipe 3 and cause it to force the felt against the guide rolls and cause the felt to be pressed against the perforated portion of the pipe, the felt traveling between these parts in the continuous operation of the machine, and the pipe will be held in this position by the weight of the handle. The valve controlling the flow of the cleansing fluid being turned on, it will issue from the perforations of the pipe and pass through. the fabric of the felt and effectually and thoroughly clean the same. When the cleansing operation is completed, the controlling valve is shut off and the handle moved back again to its former position, thereby raising the pipe to inactive position.

It is necessary to operate the device only at infrequent intervals, say, every three or four hours, according to the conditions encountered in practice, and when thrown into action it is held so only for a short period of time. say. ten' seconds more or less, it

being understood that the device is operated to perform the cleansing operation, without stopping the'operation of the papermaking machine or interfering in any manner with the continuous travel of the felt in the performance of its functions.

In the foregoing description and accompanying drawings, I have set forth my invention in the particular detailed form which I prefer to adopt and which in practice has been; found to answer to a satisfactory degree the ends to be attained. It will be manifest, however, that these details may be variously chan d and modified by the skilled mechanic wit .out departing from the spirit of my invention; and it will be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular form of construction of the parts, except in so far assuch limitations are specified in the claims.

Having I claim is:

1. In a. felt cleaning device for paper thus described my invention, what I making machines, the combination of guiding meansfor the felt, apipe provided with openings andadapted to have a fluid cleans ing current created therein and through said openings for removing substances lodged in the felt, and means for moving said pipe at will towards the guiding means and into engagement with the felt to cause' the latter to be pressed against the open side of the pipe.

2. In a device for cleaning the traveling fabric which supports the pulp layer in paper making machines. the combination of guiding means to support the fabric at one side, a. ipe situated at the opposite side of the fa ric and provided with openings and adapted to have a fluid cleansing current frame on one side of the felt, a pipe'on the site side of the felt having an open side ad acent the felt, said pipe adapted to have a fluid current created therein and through the open side of the same, a support for the pipe mounted in the frame and movable rel- 'atively to the guides to carry thel pipe against the felt, and means for moving said sup-port.

4:. In a felt cleaning device for paper making machines, the combination of a frame, guides for the felt sustained by the frame at one side of the felt, slides mounted in guideways in the frame at its opposite ends and movable to and from the guides, a pipe on the opposite side of the felt supported by and movable with said slides, said pipe having an open side adjacent the felt and adapted to have a fluid current created therein and through its open side, and an operating member for the slides mounted in the frame and operatively connected with the slides to move them in unison to cause the open side of-the pipe to engage the felt.

5. In a felt cleaning device for pa er making machines, the combination 0 a frame, guides for the felt sustained by the frame at one side of'th'e felt, slides mounted in the frame at opposite ends and provided each with a depending rack, said slides being movable to and-from the guides, a pipe on theopposite side of the felt supported by and movable with the-slides, said pipe having an open side adjacent the felt and being adapted to have a fluid current created therein and through its open side, a rock shaft mounted in the frame, gears on the rock shaft engaging the racks to move the slides in unison to premthe pipe against-the felt, and means on the shaftfor operating 1t. 6. In a felt cleaning device for pa er making machines, the combination 0 a frame, guides for the felt sustained by the frame at oneside of the felt, a pipe on the opposite side of the felt having an open side adjacent the felt, said pipe adapted to have its open side, a support for the pipe mounted 'a fluid current created therein and through 1 in the frame and movable relatively to the guides to carry the pi e against the felt, and a member mounte in the frame and operatively connected with thesupport and ada ted when operated to adjust the pipe against the felt, to hold the pipe in its ad.- justed position.

7. In a felt cleaning device for pa er making machines, the combination o a frame, guides for the felt sustained by the frame at one side of the felt, a pipe on the op osite side of the felt havin an open side ad acent the felt, said pipe a apted to have a fluid current created therein and through its open side, a support for the pipe mounted in the frame and movable relatively to the guides to carry the pipe against the felt, a rock shaft operatively connected with the support for moving it, and a handle on the rock shaft for operating it, said handle being of a weight to hold the support with the pipe against the felt.

8. In a felt cleaning device for pafper' a making machines, the combination 0 frame, guides for the felt sustained by the frame on one side of the felt, a pipe on the opposite side of the felt having an open side adjacent the felt and adapted to have a fluid current created therein and through its open side, a support for the pipe, the said guides andsupport being movable one relatively to the other to ress the pipeagainst the felt, and means For holding the pipe movably in its support to permit the positioning of the felt.

9. In a felt cleaning device for pa Jer making machines, the combination 0 a frame, guides forthe felt sustained by the frame on one side of the felt, a su port sustained by the frame, a pipe pivote at or ad= jacent one end to said support so that it can be lifted therefrom to permit the positioning of the felt, and means for confining the opposite end of the pipe movably on the support, the said su port and guides being movable one relative y to the other to press the pipe against the felt.

In testimony whereof, I have affixed my signature hereto.-

" EDWARD n. B NNET 

